May Day All hands All's well that end's well

On July 21, 2008 2 miles off the coast of Raughly in Sligo Bay, Frank's boat, Springfield Lass started to take on water faster than the pumps could handle. He put out a call to two other fishermen; but, had to send the May Day out to the Coast Guard as it became clear she was going to go down. As the stern started to go, Frank told his crewmate, Owen McLaughlin to get to the bow while Owen yelled to Frank to get the "F---" out of the wheel house (Owen was filling in for this one day for his cousin Andrew Henderson, who is Frank's regular crew mate) and the helicopter arrived just in time to airlift them both off the already submerged boat. There was enough of an airpocket left in the "Lass" to keep her afloat; so, Daryl Ewing and the crew of the RNLI (Royal Naval Lifeboats Ireland) towed her into Brown's Bay and we met them there and held her fast until the tide was fully in and she wasbeached. Thanks to a host of help, from friends in the fishing community in Rosses Point and Raughly, she was beached, raised, pumped and towed back to Rosses Point where she was then loaded onto a trailer and towed up to Mooney's Boat yard in Killybegs, Donegal where we await an assessment. Frank and I would like to publicly thank everyone who helped us at every step of the way over the past week.

Most especially, we thank the Crew of the Coast Guard helicopter who arrived just in the nick of time.

Without you, we wouldn’t be alive to make the following thanks to: The incredible fishing community in Rosses Point and Raughly:

Especially Daryl Ewing. Daryl deserves an added thanks for towing her to Brown’s Bay to get her beached for a first inspection to see if she’d make it back to Rosses Point and then arising very early the next morning with Andrew Henderson, Owen Carter. to tow her back to Rosses Point after she was pumped out.

Thanks, too, to Tom Sr., Tom Jr. and Kyle McCallion for making their boat (Stingray) available.

To the RNLI crew of Eithna, Andrea and John, thank you for guiding her to shore and holding her there, ‘til we could get there.

Many thanks to Stephen Heraghty from Ballyconnel who guided us to Brown’s Bay and along with Dermont Healy, arranged for , Hugh Conway to bring his digger to the strand. Many thanks to Hugh Conway for many hours of holding fast.

Thanks to Freddie Parle who donned his diving gear and got the ropes out to Springfield lass that got her beached and righted and for taking a look for possible damage to the hull and for assisting in loading her onto the trailer for Killybegs.

Freddie recently survived his own ordeal as chief engineer after pirates boarded a tug boat that he was delivering off the coast of Somalia. He and the rest of the crew were held hostage for over 6 weeks.

More thanks to those at Brown’s Bay for all their help: Joe, Andrew, and Luke Henderson, Donal Bourke (who provided special equipment and support), Dermot Healy, Colm Heraghty (who gave us access to the strand through is property), Thomas Caraway, Kevin Murray, the Walsh family, Jamie Gillan, Young Sean from Raughley, David Downs (who also offered to help Frank retrieve his gear) and Jim Ewing (for offering flotation equipment) who all helped to beach, right and pump out Springfield Lass at Brown’s Bay.

And a huge thank you to Laura Henderson, Pauline Bourke, Maura Carter and Ruth Ewing for keeping everyone well fed throughout the long hours and days of this past week.

Thanks too, to Martin Mulligan and Kevin Murray for offering to examine the boat and to Kevin for salvaging many items which came ashore in the wee small hours.

A special thanks to Owen McLaughlin for his absolute calmness under fire and to Christy and Christopher Harte who steamed up from Streedgagh when they heard the distress call and offered the necessary rope.

And a hearty thanks to Redmond Gillan, Harbormaster.

Another special thanks to Noel Carter, Liam Cunningham, Freddie Parle, and Andrew Hendersen. who helped to guide Springfield Lass onto the trailer and...

Finally, thanks to Noel Carter and Fagin for getting her safely to Killybegs!

We are filled with immense gratitude to each and every one of you. God bless ye all. “It surely does take a village to “raise” a “Lassie”.